FENDER®
NASHVILLE SPECIAL B-BENDER

Music is in the journey between the notes!

The Parsons/Green B-Bender from Fender is the easiest way to get a B-Bender. It comes equipped with an American Standard Telecaster or Nashville Special Telecaster. When the Fender Custom Shop began offering the Clarence White Signature Telecaster equipped with a "Classic" B-Bender the response was overwhelming. To answer the demand for StringBender-equipped guitars Gene Parsons and Meridian Green designed a new "Back-plate mounted" B-Bender which is licensed to Fender.

This StringBender product is manufactured by Fender with the same commitment to quality, durability and musicality that is the hallmark of all StringBender and Fender products. Fender's B-Bender Telecaster is the most widely available and easily affordable StringBender ever and delivers all the licks and tricks of the original "Classic" B-Bender. Visit your local Fender dealer and get your hands on a Fender Telecaster with a factory-installed Parsons/Green B-Bender.

Learning how to play B-Bender is easy. Here's how to get started:

Use a guitar strap. To begin you may find it helpful to stand.

Check out how the Bender feels. Push the guitar neck down and you'll feel a satisfying tug on your guitar strap as the B-Bender is actuated. Now stop pushing down on the neck and allow the return spring inside the B-Bender to pull the guitar neck back to the original position. If you are playing a B-Bender that has been properly set up this move feels very smooth and the B-Bender mechanism is totally silent.

Tune as usual and then actuate the B-Bender and tune the note at the end of the bend by turning the thumb wheel located on the backplate.

Play an A chord in the first position but don't finger the B string. Strum the chord and use the B-Bender to pull the B string note up one full step to resolve the A chord.

Like the "Classic" B-Bender, the Fender B-Bender has self-lubricating precision bearings to keep all the interior components maintenance-free. We do recommend a tiny drop of oil every few months on the bridge saddle under the B string (click for a few maintenance tips). You never need to remove the Backplate on your Fender B-Bender. In fact, we recommend that you DO NOT take the metal Backplate off of your guitar. But we know that you want to see inside the Fender B-Bender.

The Heart Of A Guitar

Bent notes are at the heart of great playing. Bending notes precisely, with total control over the speed and duration of the up or down string bend, is a powerful tool for guitarists. A StringBender is another instrument inside the guitar, playing the transitional notes that stir the emotions; the subtle, fleeting dissonance that makes resolution so satisfying.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I have a "Classic" G-Bender added to my Parsons/Green B-Bender?
No. Only the "Classic" Parsons/White B-Bender can have a G-Bender added.

Can I get Gene Parsons to install a B-Bender in my guitar?
Yes. Check out the StringBender Custom Shop for more information about having Gene Parsons do a Custom installation of a StringBender in your Telecaster (Standard, Thinline, or Hollow-body), Les Paul, acoustic, 12-string, left-handed guitars or other Custom work. Gene can also install a Parsons/Green B-Bender in your Telecaster.

Where can I get lessons about how to play StringBender?
You can download free HOT LICKS.

What about other products that bend strings?
Here are some string bending products that we are pleased to recommend:

Hipshot Bender: If you already have a Tele and want to try some B bending but don't want to make a big commitment this is the way to go. You can easily add a Hipshot without making any permanent alteration to your guitar. Some folks like guitar great Will Ray get real comfortable actuating B bends with their hip. Lots of other great players have found they love bending the B string but prefer our strap-actuated designs.

Keith Tuners: Earl Scruggs came up with the original idea for bending banjo strings with a cam attached to the peg head. Bill Keith improved that design enormously with tuners that have a stop at two notes for lightening fast tuning changes and bends. For expert advice on installing Keith Tuners go to Larry Miletich at
Music One Workshop.

What about the Glaser?
For a few years before the Fender B-Bender was available we had several great music stores who were Authorized Installers of the original B-Bender. We recommended that they also stock a Glaser sample. None of their customers preferred the Glaser. The consensus was that the length of the throw was too short for a really sweet bend and that attaching the bending lever to the neck block of the guitar changed the balance of the guitar unfavorably. If you're a chicken pickin' Stratocaster player this may be your only choice but we recommend that you give some serious thought to getting a Telecaster with a genuine StringBender!